Alone
by Eritha
Summary: Cloud cheats on Tifa under the influence of alcohol. Guilty, he leaves Tifa. Years later, he reappears with another woman's child.
1. Alone: Leaving

**Disclaimer**: I do NOT own characters other than my beloved OC

* * *

Cloud had woken up in the middle of the night. Slowly, he reached for the small bundle of clothes which he had put under his pillow the night before. He carefully got up from the bed, trying not to make to much noise or movement so as not to wake up Tifa. 

As he set his foot onto the ground, the wooden floorboards creaked and he was momentarily frozen. He searched Tifa's face for any indication of having been disturbed, but she slept on soundly. Cloud watched her beautiful body, which lay still, on the mattress. She finally slept soundly, the first night she did since the nightmares began.

He tore his eyes away from the sleeping body. He was afraid of not being able to let go again. He turned to his daughter, sleeping in the cot. He stroked her hair softly. He didn't want to leave her ever. It was like leaving behind a piece of him, and it hurt like someone had used a knife and stabbed him. No, it hurt even more. But goodbyes had to be said somehow. He picked up his daughter and kissed her ever so gently on the cheek.

He stuck a note onto the refrigerator, one that he had already written weeks ago. It hurt him to write it, and it hurt him more to stick it on the fridge, knowing that it would cause his lover heartbreak as she read it.

"_I'm sorry that I couldn't take care of you"_

"_I'm sorry that couldn't take responsibility for you and our daughter"_

"_I'm sorry that I won't be there to watch Fait grow up"_

"_I'm sorry that I won't be there with you to go through hard times"_

"_I'm sorry that I'm leaving you"_

"_I'm sorry, Tifa"_

"_I'm sorry'_

_Cloud_

Then, he left

* * *

As Tifa woke up from a good night's sleep. She just had a pleasant dream that night, a respite from the many nightmares that she had gone through the last few days. She was surprised to feel an unexplained absence at where Cloud usually slept on their bed. Yet, she was not really worried. _"He may have just gone on a delivery and forgot to tell me…"_

As she lumbered off the bed, she walked sleepily towards the cot, where her baby, Fait, was sleeping. Her little buttoned eyes never opened, she did not awake from her sweet slumber, even as Tifa picked her up and cradled her lovingly. Tifa was instantly reminded of Cloud every time she looked at her. Fait was growing to become more and more like her father with every waking moment.

Tifa placed her baby back into the cot again, as she went into the kitchen for a glass of water. As she drank, she read the note which Cloud had left on the refrigerator

Tears formed in her eyes as the glass of water fell onto the floor. Then, she crumpled into a heap on the linoleum flooring as she let the tears fall.

She couldn't believe Cloud was gone.

* * *

A/N: So how did you like this? Please review! 


	2. Alone: Bonus Chapter: Why I left

A/N: Oh my, I have a writer's block. Meant to keep this as a bonus chapter until the end of the fic, but I didn't manage to write the second chapter yet. Sooo… here you go, the special chapter, "Why I Left". Enjoy. (I should really cut down on ramblings at the beginning of every chapter.)

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone other than Lavine and Fait.

* * *

As Cloud mounted Fenrir, he recalled the sorry sequence of events that led to his present predicament.

* * *

That night, he was at the Seventh Heaven, alone. It was already closing time and he was cleaning up the bar alone. Tifa had brought Fait for a night stay with Yuffie and he was left to run the bar alone that night. Business was unusually good that night, despite him being quiet and sullen most of the time, unlike his wife who usually ran the bar. 

He was too engrossed in wiping the table, so engrossed he didn't hear the door chime as someone opened the door.

"Hey, Cloud…"an all too familiar voice rang out. Cloud hesitantly looked up and saw Lavine staring at him. Lavine was one of the better off in Edge; she was constantly trying flirt with Cloud. Tifa didn't really mind, because Cloud said he didn't like Lavine at all.

"Erm…sorry, we're closed…"

"Don't you want to earn more money?"

"Erm…right."

"Two martinis please."

As got up to prepare the orders, he wondered what Lavine wanted today. She usually didn't turn up after hours.

He set the two martinis down, in front of Lavine.

"Drink with me."

"What?"

"Drink with me."

"Ok…"

Cloud hesitated. He wasn't really good at drinking, and he never entertained customers. It was Tifa who usually did this, because she was used to entertaining and drinking. He sat down opposite Lavine and drank.

Five martinis later, Cloud was couldn't remember anything.

* * *

The next day, Cloud was heading to Lavine's house on his motorcycle. She had asked him to go to her house.

Cloud pressed the doorbell. A maid in an apron opened the door. "Oh, are you Mister Cloud."

"Yes."

"Please come in, Miss Lavine is looking for you."

Cloud sheepishly entered Lavine's room. It was a spacious room with expensive furnishing. It was fitting for someone of Lavine's status. He saw Lavine sitting on an armchair. He sort of knew what he had called him for.

Lavine drank from her teacup, while she invited Cloud to sit on the chair opposite her's. He sat down, rather uncomfortably.

Lavine put down the cup and said in a low voice. "You know what you did, don't you."

Cloud gulped.

"What do you want me to do?"

"Ditch Tifa, marry me. I want you to be mine."

"I can't…really…I can't"

Lavine poured another cup of tea and stirred it gingerly.

"Well, I suppose I'll just have to tell Tifa then. I wonder how she'll feel when she knows her husband had been unfaithful."

* * *

"Damn I wish I didn't drink that much," moped Cloud. It had already been a few days since he had come back from Lavine's. He didn't want to leave Tifa, yet he didn't want her to know what had gone on between him and Lavine.

"I don't wanna hurt her by leaving, but she'll be even more hurt if she knew what had happened."

_ "I've made up my mind."_


	3. Alone: Parents

A/N: Credits to Lady Icicle and Grace-san for giving me ideas for this chappie and the next. So yo, 2nd chapter is HERE!

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone other than my OCs

* * *

Fait Lockhart bravely picked up her school bag and got ready for school. She knew this day was coming soon, and she dreaded it. Now that it had finally arrived, she cringed at the mere thought of it.

* * *

_It's just your lot in life, Fait._

* * *

Parents' Day

These two words spelt what seemed like a death sentence to six year old Fait.

Today was the day where everyone would bring their parents to school.

* * *

"_They bring their parents to school, but some of them treat their parents as items to show off…" she remembered someone saying so vividly

* * *

_

Fait left the letter of notification for her mum on the table two nights ago. She didn't see her mum very often as she was working till late at night, past Fait's bedtime.

* * *

Fait sat at her desk nervously and twiddled her thumbs. She saw everyone arrive at their seats, some with their mum or dad, or some with both. But she was the only one with no one sitting on the chair set beside her desk.

* * *

"…_ It's really horrible. You feel like you don't belong." The same memory declared in a loud, carrying voice.

* * *

_

As soon as the bell rang to signal the start of school, the teacher began to take attendance. She looked at Fait quizzically as she took down her attendance.

"Where are your parents, Fait?"

"My mum couldn't make it, Ma'am."

* * *

_Sorry, darling. I can't go with you.

* * *

_

"What about your dad?"

"I…don't have one."

* * *

_You don't have one, dear,_

* * *

A loud, strange silence overwhelmed the room at Fait's frank answer. Fait was so nervous, her knees trembled._  
_

* * *

_"It's really freaky…" rang the memory._

* * *

Five seconds later, whispers ran around the room.

* * *

_"…people start whispering about you and debating why your parents didn't come"_

* * *

"Her Dad ran away one night. He was always a coward, but no one expected him to be such a jerk." She heard a cruel voice to her left say to the person behind her. Tears consumed Fait's eyes as she heard this whisper. 

"**My Dad's not a coward!"**

Immediately, the room was immersed in even louder whispers.

"My Dad saved the world with my Mum and their friends! He wasn't a coward!"

* * *

_What did my dad do, Marlene? __**He saved the world.**_

* * *

Fait heard laughter coming from the back of room. Tears flowed from her eyes, but she wiped them away courageously.

"But I hate him! He made my mother cry!"

* * *

"_Why did you leave me Cloud?" cried Tifa as she clutched an aged photograph of her dad._

* * *

And concluding that sentence she burst into tears inconsolably.

* * *

A/N: There you are, the 2nd chapter. Two updates in one day. Phew! Just to clarify, the words in italics are Fait's memories; what she saw, what she heard. Might see more of this in later chapters. Next update is probably in a week. If you want a faster update, please press the review button. The more reviews, the faster the updates!

EDIT: I made it easier for you read by adding line breaks. Going by the number of updates right now, the next chapter is probably due on Thursday. Keep the reviews coming!


	4. Alone: Orphan

Disclaimer: If I claim anything else other than the plot and my OCs, may Nomura-san kill me.

* * *

Fait was hanging around the playground. She did that after every school day because she didn't like to be alone. There was always someone at the playground, it didn't matter if they didn't play with her; she just didn't want to be alone. 

She sat on the swing, swinging her legs slowly, looking somewhat glum. She saw a group of girls playing at the sand pit. Upon a closer look, she realized it was Lisse and her two friends, Anna and Hitomi.

Lisse belonged to the upper-class of Edge. She was rather beautiful, but put beside Fait, she looked like a plain Jane. Her family was wealthy because they owned a large oil field. She was regarded as the highest of students in her school because she paid the highest fees, unlike Fait, who paid almost no fees on account of her family situation.

Anna and Hitomi were what some people called "Lisse's lapdogs". They were from a middle class family, but because of their Lisse, they owned many things people of higher class owned which the middle class people could not afford. Most of these items were "gifts" from Lisse which she gave to them when she became bored of them.

Lisse hated Fait. Firstly, she despised her for being what she considered Edge's destitute. Secondly, she hated Fait for being better at school work than she was, despite the fact that Fait was poor and could not afford the best tutors like those which her parents had engaged for her.

Fait wanted to build sandcastles with them. To her, it didn't matter if she was rejected. She wasn't hurt by rejections at all. She had been rejected too many a time.

"Can…I play…with you…please?" her timid voice called out.

The three of them stared at Fait. There was this look in their eyes. A look of hostility, a look that was fit to kill. Fait stared back, out of fear more than anything else.

"Go away! Who do you think you are to stare at us, _orphan_!"

_Orphan._ This word hurt her pride. She knew what it meant. It meant that she had no parents. She wasn't an orphan. Even though she had no dad, she still had her mum by her side.

"I'm not an orphan!" said Fait

"Yes, you are!" Lisse replied.

"I'm not!" her voice becoming more desperate. Why didn't she understand?

"Yes, you are!"

"I'm not!" Fait's voice rose to a shout.

"Who do you think you are, orphan!" shouted back Anna. She was rising to Lisse's defense and so was Hitomi. But there was no one on Fait's side. All of them were standing up now.

Fait trembled. She hated confrontations. Lisse walked up to her and pushed her down. Fait fell, face down onto the sand. She sputtered and gave a tiny sob.

"Ha! That'll teach you. Let's see if your superhero dad comes to your rescue.

Lisse gave a cruel laugh. Anna and Hitomi joined in the sadistic laughter. Lisse kicked sand into Fait's eyes. Fait sputtered and cried even harder. Her eyes stung, and she felt like her knees were bleeding.

Lisse knew that Fait did have a superhero for a dad, for it was a tale told often to children in Edge. But she could not stand the fact that someone was better than her. Seeing Fait cry just gave her more pleasure.

"Let's throw stones at her legs!"

"Yeah, Hitomi!"

"You rock, Hitomi!"

Fait felt stones being thrown at her legs. She protested to being stoned, but she was powerless against three girls who were larger in build than she was.

"Hey you!"

"Oh no! Let's go"

She felt stones being thrown at her legs no more. Instead, she felt someone trying to help her up.

"Hey you! Wait till I get a hold of you, then you'll be sorry!"

It was Yuffie.

Yuffie was the one who took care of Fait in the past when Tifa was working and Denzel and Marlene were at school. She always said that it was because she was "really free in the mornings" but in reality, she took time off to take care of Fait, despite the fact that she was really busy.

"Are you alright?"

Fait didn't want to answer her question, she just wanted to cry.

"Go on and cry. It'll get rid of the sand in your eyes too, but cheer up, okays?"

Fait gave a little piteous sob, looked up to Yuffie and asked,

_"Where's my father?"_

* * *

A/N: Wow that's one long chapter. Credits to Lady Icicle for giving me many ideas and thanks to me for accidentally spilling Coke on someone who made me want to write this chapter today. I didn't want to lose that feeling cause it would probably be the closest I would feel like Fait in this chapter for a long time. Fait's refusing to suffer anymore turmoil for a while I might not have her in my next chapter. 

(this is one long note)

I promised this on Thursday but I'm giving it to you today. Probably won't be updating till next week.Then, I'll be on an updating spree.


	5. Alone: Dear Diary

Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the plot. So there.

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_Today was horrid. It was the most horridble day ever because of Parents' Day. Lisse bullied me later in the playgronud because of it. But Yuffie rescued me (although she wasn't the brave and handsome night I said who I wanted to be rescued by) and brought me home. Now I have bruses all over my legs and they still hurt even though Yuffie gave me two potions. I hope I won't get any scars._

_I would give anione anything, even if she wanted my Chocobo doll if she coud tell me if my Dad woud come bak one day._

_But woud I be happy if he did?_

_Fait_

_P.S. Let's hope tomorrow will be a happyer day_

* * *

_Dear Diary,_

_It's been one month since Lavine died. But it doesn't really make any difference to me. To her, Reit and I were perhaps only novelty items. To be collected, looked at for a while, then locked away in a cupboard with other novelty items she had gotten tired of._

_Feeling more homesick than ever. I wonder what is Tifa doing right now and if Fait is sleeping well. _

_Should I just leave this house and go back to Tifa now that Lavine has died? But what about Reit? I can't just leave her with her eccentric grandfather. Goodness knows what will become of her if I do._

_But, will Tifa accept me if I went home…after leaving her for years? _

_Cloud_

_P.S. I don't know why, but I felt that somebody needed me today._

* * *

Cloud gave a stretch as he finished this last entry. To him life was nothing but a monotonous cycle of waking up, eating, and sleeping, yet it was bound to be better now that Lavine was gone and that he was set free from the mental strain of being Lavine's husband. But Cloud couldn't see how it could be.

"_How can I be happy if I'm not with the ones I really love?"_

"Daddy…" A little voice woke Cloud up from his spell of self-pity.

Cloud looked up and saw a little girl with short brown hair and black eyes in a pink nightdress clutching a Moogle doll tightly with tears streaming down her chubby cheeks.

"What's wrong, Reit?"

The little girl ran to Cloud and he picked her up gently and set her onto his knee. Reit snuggled up to Cloud with a comfortable sigh.

"Daddy…"

"Yes?"

"I kind of miss Mother."

"I thought you didn't really love her, Reit."

"Yeah…"

* * *

"_I don't like mother!" a little Reit yelled._

"_Why?"_

"_Because she doesn't like me! She doesn't do nice things my friends' mothers do!"_

* * *

"But there's something empty in here." Fait pointed to her heart.

"I think I know what you mean."

"You do?"

"Yeah. It feels weird because even though she never paid much attention to you, you still know she is there and now that she isn't, there's an empty space. Is that what you mean?"

"Sort of, I guess."

Reit was silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. Cloud drank some water in preparation to prepare for whatever questions Reit had thought up of. It was taxing to answer the questions of this precocious five year old.

"Daddy, could you get me a new mother?"

"What?"

"Yeah, a new mother, Daddy. I want one that'll tuck me into bed and tell me stories and play with me. I would call her "Mumma" 'cause it sounds nicer. Do you think you could find me one mother like that?"

Cloud was stunned. He had been expecting a question that concerned some mystery of the world, but not this. Without him realizing, his mind went to Tifa and the family he had left behind. There was no doubt that Reit would accept that family as long she had Tifa as her Mumma. The problem was, would they accept her?

But still smiling a slight smile, he said

"I'll try, dear."

* * *

A/N: I never realized how much I loved alliteration until I wrote the 2nd last sentence. Anyway, I'll try to update as soon as I get back from my vacation if I can think up of ideas and store them in someplace that is not my head which my family (immediate and extended) would not find. Reit is a sweet name isn't it? According to my story planning, Cloud named her Reit in memory of his own lil' girl at home (Isn't it a bit obvious). I just realized that everyone has airtime other than Tifa (Poor thing). I really need to give Tifa airtime! So anyway, please click that review button at the bottom left hand of the page!

P.S I really need to stop rambling on so much.


	6. Alone: Homecoming

A/N: So I came back from my vacation. Yay. Vacation rocked socks. I'm elated because I managed to buy the issue of Famitsu that features Crisis Core (just so you know). Anyway, I drafted this chapter while on vacation and I'll say this chapter is pretty wild. Tifa does have airtime in this chapter so, read on.

* * *

Tifa closed the door to Fait's bedroom carefully. The six year old couldn't get to sleep so Tifa had just gone in to tuck her into bed. She had taken the chance to examine Fait's injuries, which she had heard about from Yuffie. Tifa saw that Fait's injuries were not life threatening, unlike some that Tifa herself had received during her youth, but still, the people who gave them to her must have been pretty cruel.

Tifa collapsed into a heap on her broken and damaged sofa. She wondered how long more could she could survive in Edge with Fait. The furniture in the house was either broken or damaged, the walls were peeling. Tifa had no money or savings to maintain this house. She had already been holding down two jobs, one as a secretary in WRO and running the bar at night. But she realized that she had been coming home later and later with each passing night, just so she could earn a little more income by keeping the bar open for a longer time. Her friends had all wanted to give her some gil to help her along in finances, but she had always refused, saying that she wanted to be independent. But by the look of it, she'll soon have to accept the money just to survive.

"Thump…thump…"

Someone was knocking hard on her door.

"Tifa…Tifa!"

It sounded like…Cloud? But was it really him?

Tifa ran at top speed to the door and threw it open. In front of her was a tall blonde man carrying an injured girl in his arms. The girl's left arm was bloody, it looked a little like in had been mauled by some monster.

"Tifa, please, help her?"

"Where did you find her?"

"Find her?"

"Yeah, she's an orphan, isn't she?"

"No, she's my daughter, Reit."

Tifa was struck by this sudden revelation. Cloud was married and happy and he lived with_another_ woman

"Oh."

* * *

Cloud sat on the broken living room sofa. Tifa was inside a room fixing Reit up. It suddenly struck him that this house was a lot more dilapidated than when he had left it six years ago.

The door opened and Tifa came out.

"She's asleep."

"Thanks."

Tifa took a place beside Cloud on the sofa and sat down.

"So, has my house turned into a place where you bring your injured daughters to rest?"

What did she mean?

"No, I only have one daughter…"

"So, you don't consider Fait your daughter?"

This is going all wrong!

"No, Tifa listen to me. Lavine (you know who she is, don't you) died last month in a car accident, so…"

"So, you decided to come back?"

"Well…yes"

Tifa suddenly looked straight at Cloud.

"Have I turned into a substitute for Lavine?"

"No, Tifa, it's not what you think…"

"Of course it's what I think. You left me six years ago for Lavine and now that she's dead, you come back home and refuse to acknowledge your…no, my daughter and you've never even given me a shit piece of your news these six years."

Cloud felt a hard punch hitting his stomach. He keeled over from the pain and fell onto the floor.

"Tifa…stop…please…" But his piteous pleas were ignored.

"How many times have I struggled just to support Fait and myself? How many times was I scolded by my boss and had to bear with it just to earn that meager amount of money each month? How many times did I have to put up with old, perverted men, just to earn some cash? And you don't even give me a god damned sorry!"

"Tifa…I'm sorry…"

"Cloud…Cloud… are you alright?"

Cloud had passed out.

* * *

A/N: I told you it was weird. Tifa's a little cranky but I guess anyone would be if her daughter's been abused, her boyfriend had married another woman and had a child, he come back and tells you something that seems to be along the lines of "She died, so I came back.". Not to mention working with flirtatious old men every night.

This chapter is the end to this story but stay tuned to its sequel "Acceptance". You may have noticed the story is not labeled as complete yet and that's cause there's going to be a bonus chapter here next week/ ASAP on FUN FACTS! Lol…

So stick to this fic for its next update, till then…


	7. Acceptance: Morning

A/N: Let's just say that I had a writer's block, decided to scrap the idea of a bonus chapter and decided to continue my fic right here, and have been on a hiatus for goodness knows how long. But I'll update when I get back from my upcoming vacation. Take it as my Christmas present to you .(lol)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my OCs and my storyline. How many times do I have to say that?

* * *

The yellow sunlight streamed through the window and fell onto Cloud's face. Woken up by the sudden warmth, Cloud opened his eyes drowsily and tried to figure out where he was. When he looked to the ceiling, he was smiled to himself because he was reminded of where he was. 

He was home.

As he slowly recollected the events of last night, the smile on his face fell away as the horrible memories of the night before hit him hard, like someone he loved had just slapped him hard.

He turned his head slowly, cringing at every slight movement he made, for the effects of the punch that was given to him last night still had not gone away and he saw that Tifa was there, sleeping on the floor in a sitting position with her back against the wall. He tried to get up from the bed…

And at last he succeeded, his stomach burning with pain. He managed to walk a few steps, then losing his balance, he fell.

Tifa was suddenly awaken by the loud noise, it sounded like someone heavy had fallen down. She realized she was in Cloud's room, and that Cloud had fallen down onto the floor. Hurriedly, she got up and slowly, she helped Cloud up, stumbling a little because of Cloud's sheer weight. Finally, she got Cloud back onto the bed.

"Are you all right…"

"Tifa, I…"

"You shouldn't be walking around until you've recovered."

"How's…Reit."

"Reit's alright, she just got some pretty mild injuries"

At the sound of her name, Reit bounded into the room and hugged Cloud tightly.

* * *

"Daddy, are you okay?" 

"Uh huh."

"It was so scary last night…the dog looked like it wanted to eat me…and Daddy…"

When Cloud saw that Tifa was leaving the room, he gave a little call to her.

"Tifa…"

"I shouldn't be _intruding_ in this little family reunion"

"Uh…I didn't mean that. I just wanted to say 'Thank you'."

"You're welcome."

And on exiting the room, the brunette added

"I'm just doing this because I couldn't leave you injured. I didn't do it because I loved you as I don't."

Cloud looked at Tifa quizzically as she left the room.

"Daddy,"

"Yeah?"

"Is that the Mother you said you'll get me?"

"Yeah."

"I don't like her a lot. She's mean. She hurt you."

"She didn't hurt me because she's mean."

"Then why did she hurt you."

"That's because I did some that made her really angry…and she's punishing me"

* * *

A/n: This chapter's a tad short because I sort of hurried it out cause i was afraid of not having time to write soon. Choir has been stressful and I'm also translating something for the ACF Forums. Anyway, I'll try and update ASAP!

Not new material. But please read the note above


	8. Acceptance: Night

_I just wanted you to hurt,_

_But I hurt myself in the process._

_When will I stop being so naïve?_

* * *

  
Her eyes welled up with hot tears as she walked away. She couldn't hurt him without hurting herself. She just wanted to make him think, was that so hard?

She stifled a sob as she heard her daughter coming down the stairs. Her daughter.

_His daughter too. _

"Mummy, did someone come last night? I heard noises."

"Yes."

"Who is it?"

"Erm…He's…Cloud."

Startled at her own nervousness, she quickly turned away to hide her own emotions.

* * *

That night, Tifa found Cloud waiting at the doorstep of the bar. He was seated on the curb, with one hand on his face and elbow on his knee.

"What are you doing here?" and adding on somewhat hesitantly, "You okay now?" Cloud stood up, somewhat shakily, wincing a little.

"I wanted to bring you home from the bar; I haven't done so for a long time." Tifa's heart warmed to his words, but it only served to irritate her stubborn spirit that was unwilling to forgive Cloud.

"Go away; I don't need your concern."

As Tifa walked towards home, Cloud followed, with his head hung low and shuffling feet.

"I…met Fait today."

It was a low mumble, but it was echoed in the loud silence of the night,

"You didn't tell her…"he continued. "…about her dad"

Cloud gave a sigh, but the sigh did not make its own meaning clear.

"She seems…happy."

A silence reverberated through the cold night air, as Tifa remained silent to Cloud's mumbled sentences.

* * *

A/N: It isn't much, I got a writer's block and I just got my ideas flowing. School is starting soon and I'll try to wrap up this fic ASAP before I have to start studying really hard for exams, but there's another segment to this fic and I guess it'll be pretty long (read: 5-6 chapters) anyway, I'll try to update at least once a week after school has started, most likely on Sundays.

In this chapter I tried many things I have never done before in this fic. Please review and tell me if you like it. Next up: a Diary chapter (YAY!) oh, and I might write a one-shot soon too. I just need ideas. The one shot might be a spin off of this fic. I'll update later on in a day, it's two in the morning now in Singapore.

PS: I realised the author's note took up a lot of space


	9. Acceptance: Dear Diary

Disclaimer: I do not own anything other than the plot for this whole fic and my beloved OCs

* * *

Dear diary, 

Today I met Cloud. He asked me if I knew who he was and I said that he was Cloud because my mum told me so, but he looked a kind of disappointed. He was very nice to me. He read Reit (I forgot to mention that she is Cloud's daughter) and I stories even though he was sick. Then he tucked Reit and I into bed just now.

Reit is sleeping on the floor on a mattress now. I asked her if she wanted to sleep on my bed because she was younger than me, but she said no because she never got to sleep on the floor in the past.

Today was the happiest I have been for a long time. (since that time Yuffie and Vincent brought me to the amusement park)

PS. I thought I heard mum crying today

Fait

* * *

Dear Diary, 

Today was one long day. I found Tifa sleeping in the room I was in this morning. Not on my bed but on the floor. I tried to get up but I ended up waking her up. But when Reit came in, Tifa looked hurt and she walked away.

I met Fait. She didn't know I was her dad. She walked into my room and saw Reit.

I think Reit and her are going to be inseperable

I went to walk Tifa home today from the bar. She didn't say much, but when we got home I heard her crying in her room. I didn't go in. Tifa doesn't like people to go near her when she's having her private cry, like went she found out she was expecting Fait.

I wanna say I love her but whenever I wanna say it there's something in my throat I can't get out. Does she know?

Cloud

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A/N: The reason this chapter is so short is cause it was supposed to be with the last chapter, but I wanted to give this chapter a name of it's own so yeah. 


	10. Acceptance: Broken Anger

A/N: Heh, I'll try to update more in this period before school starts. Meanwhile, this chapter is like really sad and I cried while I wrote it (Fine, ladyicicle, I teared.) It may be a exegeration but… hell. The chapter title, by the way, is an allusion to Utada Hikaru's song, "Kremlin Dusk"

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Morning had broken.

The sizzling sounds of Tifa making breakfast woke Cloud up. It was still fairly early in the morning, and the girls were not up yet.

_We can't go on like this forever._

By ignoring each other, what would the children think of them? As immature adults who were angry at one another?

Cloud reluctantly got up from bed, fearing to broach the subject to Tifa. But he had to do it and now too. It was the only time of the day when Tifa was not busy and the girls were not around to hear them.

He got up and changed, then making his way to the dining room or rather, a small room that was everything cramped into one room, living room, study and dining room. Tripping on a chair, he nervously sat down as he watched Tifa serve breakfast.

Barely daring to raise his eyes to her, he mumbled "Tifa we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About us, just the two of us. We can't go on ignoring each other. What will the children think?"

Tifa continued to get milk out of the refrigerator and place a cup by everyone's plate, as if Cloud had said nothing.

"It's you…you're the problem."

Underneath Tifa's uncaring front, Cloud could feel the seething anger of Tifa.

"You made my life broken a long time ago. I've just managed to live a life without you, but you've come to break it up, with your lover's daughter. Why can't you leave Fait and I alone! We're happier here without_you_!"

Tifa was shrieking at Cloud now. "I will not be a substitute! Don't come back with your daughter now that your legal wife is dead and gone and rotting!"

Cloud became angry too. He had tolerated Tifa's mood swings and this was the final straw. Couldn't they have a proper conversation with each other without her getting angry or crying?

"Fine!" boomed Cloud "Since there is no point in me staying here with an_unreasonable_ woman, I might as well leave!" and leave he did, slamming the door just as Tifa threw a glass at him.

The glass was shattered by the impact as it was thrown onto the door and its fragments fell onto the floor. Tifa's anger was like that glass, now shattered and broken.

Nothing remained of it except her guilt and sorrow.

A small sob alerted Tifa to the presence of another person. Turning her head she saw Fait hugging Reit, who was crying into Fait's pajamas. Although Fait was not crying, her eyes showed her fright and her figure shook with fear.

Seeing two innocent children, Tifa lost control of her emotions. She fell on her knees and cried, loudly and unabashedly, while mourning.

"Cloud, please come back. I really didn't mean it, I really love you!" shrieked Tifa at the door.

But Cloud could not hear Tifa, nor could the door send a message to Cloud.

He was too far away.

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A/n: Was that sad? I realised my chapters are getting shorter. Sigh. Anyway, I forgot to put this at the start of the fic.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own any of the characters other than my OCs.


	11. Acceptance: I Love You

Disclaimer: I don't own anything other than my OCs and the plot-san. (Really, I don't.)

It was a calm, serene night. The city of Edge had finally fallen asleep. Shops were closed and no one was out, with the exception of a few people, such as Tifa.

Tifa locked up the bar. It had been a long day; there had been quite a few drunks and flirtatious men at the bar as it was the weekend. Drowning their sorrows in beer was a pastime of Edge's men, and only few men religiously abstained from alcohol.

_Like him._

As Tifa walked down the lonely street, all she could hear was the rustling of leaves and her footsteps, like a drum keeping rhythm in a band. She walked in the middle of the road as usual, savouring the freedom and space she had. It was a change from the jammed main roads in the day.

But she didn't know someone was watching her. _Someone with mako eyes. _Only the occasional footstep reminded her she wasn't alone on this night.

It was Christmas Eve. Tifa checked her mobile phone and found messages from Fait and Reit. Tifa felt a tinge of guilt as she remembered that she promised the two of them that she would try getting back early to spend Christmas Eve with them. She rummaged her bag to ensure that the Christmas gifts she had bought for the two girls were still there. After assuring herself of their presence, she went on to reply to Yuffie's message to confirm if she would be attending her Christmas Party the next day. Yuffie had insisted on having a party, much to Tifa's surprise. Yuffie didn't usually organize such party, because she knew that the gunman who lived with her dislike anything extremely lively.

As she stood in the middle of the road replying to Yuffie, she didn't hear a car turning into the lane. She didn't hear the car horn. She didn't hear the screech of the brakes, nor did she hear the patter of footsteps running. She only heard one voice, calling out her name.

"Tifa!"

She felt someone push away, and the force of that push threw her to the ground, grazing her knees. As she turned she saw the Horrific Sight.

Cloud was run down by the car; the momentum of the collision threw Cloud hard onto the windscreen of the car, breaking it at many places. Cloud's limp body then rolled off the windscreen and fell heavily onto the floor.

Tifa gave a shriek that echoed throughout Edge. The birds on the trees all flew away; leaving only one ebony raven perched on a branch. The driver drove away, in fear.

Tifa's body was shaken with fright; she could only crawl to Cloud's side slowly.

Cloud was bleeding heavily from the back of his head; his blood stained the road, giving it a red hue.

"Tifa…" his words were slow and hesitant, somewhat pained.

"Cloud! Cloud, don't leave me! There's so much I want to say to you!" her voice were weak with fear and it trembled.

"Don't go Cloud, I love you! I was an idiot, I really love you!"

Cloud's facial features rearranged themselves to show a rather amused face. His hand reached out slowly to hold Tifa's hand.

"I…I…" Cloud spoke, clearly in extreme pain right now.

She felt the previously strong grip on her hand loosen as Cloud closed his eyes.

The raven cawed "Nevermore!" and it flew off from the branch it was perched on.

Tifa's weak cries were only heard by herself now.

He never got to finish his last sentence.

Cloud had fallen into an eternal slumber.

A/N: This is such a sad chapter isn't it? Please take note that the "Complete" label isn't there, meaning that there's more to this drama! For further reading, please read the non fanfiction poem by Edgar Allan Poe, "The Raven".

This is the last chapter to the Acceptance Section of the story.


	12. End

A/N: I have decided to end the fic here, for personal reasons. I really need to get some studying done, as I'm failing. But guess what, I'm planning for a rewrite. I have decided to rewrite Alone in its entirety. With completely new characters, the storyline will basically be the same as in the essence of the story, but the incidents are going to be pretty different, and then I'll just continue where I left off. I will write whenever I feel like it, and I should start posting it up by June, when I have holidays and my schedules are less crazy.

I'll probably be on a hiatus from for sometime. SO yeah, please stay stuck to my bio page in June for updates!

Yours truly,

Eritha

PS. Fait has a boyfriend!


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